Systems: what are the challenges?
Systems play a central role in aircraft operation, flight optimisation and air transport safety. They guarantee optimal aircraft operability on the ground and in flight, allowing the crew to perform efficient mission management using the most advanced flight management, communication and control systems, as well as a proper cabin environment etc. Clean Sky’s Systems Integrated Technology Demonstrator (ITD) also places a particular focus on improving the efficiency of energy use onboard while ensuring the required safety standards.
Strong coordinated action by aircraft systems providers is required to develop the best combination of concepts that will enable the entry into service of more efficient, affordable and sustainable aircraft in synergy with the airframers.
Systems ITD demonstrators are on the path to develop more electrical systems architectures, improve energy management and outline optimised and efficient trajectories which have a direct impact on CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, perceived noise and air quality, in line with Clean Sky 2’s objectives.
Some of the fields being explored include innovation in the use of more electric actuation and local hydraulic power supply, higher electrical systems voltage combining power and data, optimised power consumption, reimagining weight distribution and increasing the “power density”. Systems is also developing enablers for other innovations, for example “bleed less” power generation, a necessary step to better integrate novel engines in new aircraft configurations. Mastering engine power offtakes and hybridisation, without limiting the engine operability, is of paramount importance for the next aircraft development, requiring smaller core size and an increased amount of power extraction.
The Systems ITD in Clean Sky 2 addresses all these challenges by working on specific systems projects and demonstrates them using both test benches and integrated demonstrators up to TRL 4-6 in line with the stakeholder’s product innovation strategy and market outlook.
The following innovations are addressed in the following domains:
- Cockpit environment, mission management and aircraft communication platform and networks;
- Electrical wing systems (sensors, actuators for flight control and ice protection);
- Full electrical chain (electrical power generation, distribution and conversion) and power electronics;
- Cabin and Cargo systems (including environmental control system, water re-use and ecological fire suppression);
- Landing gear systems (using Electro Mechanical Actuators (EMA), Electro Hydraulic Actuators (EHA) for extension/retraction, steering, breaking)
- Systems virtual modelling and eco-design
The major demonstrations are hereafter described together with the major contributions to the Innovative Aircraft Demonstrator Platforms (IADPs), Technology Evaluator, Eco-design and Small Aircraft Design Transverse Activity (SAT TA). The major contribution to the Clean Sky 2 aircraft concept mostly refer to short-medium range (SMR) and small air transport (SAT) types. Nevertheless, a series of technologies will be considered for a wide range of application such as long range and regional/Bizjet aircraft.
The results coming from the Systems ITD will positively impact the next fleet from all angles, including performance, cost, industrialisation, services and environmental performance. System technologies strongly contribute to aircraft trades by enabling decision to be made on future product architectures. Future systems architectures need to be flexible enough to accommodate future user needs and a variety of aircraft customers. The project output is expected to contribute to the airframer needs in developing the aircrafts of the future.
Read more about the SYS ITD and the Clean Sky 2 Programme here.
Overview
Cockpit, Avionics & Mission Management
This activity deals with a series of innovations regarding cockpit evolution in terms of avionics, sensors, data fusion, displays and interaction means. This will help flying crews to rely more on aircraft systems to provide them with better situational awareness and support them in mission management. Major changes to the whole Air Transport System (ATS) such as full permanent connectivity, new communication channels and formats require changes in flight operations to be introduced on a regular basis.
Cabin and Cargo Systems
Developing a system architecture for secure data communication, power management and the open and scalable integration of equipment and systems for cabin and cargo applications and operation processes on ground and in-flight to overcome the limitations and barriers currently found in the integration of new functions and applications.
Regarding the cargo, a new water and waste system is being developed to re-use grey water from wash basins for toilet flushing. Regarding cargo fire suppression systems, an alternative to components and systems using Halon as the inerting agent is in development.
Innovative Electrical Wing
Developing novel flight control systems in line with the more electrical aircraft trends and tackling important factors such as high precision under high loads, redundancy, reliability and safety requirements in harsh environments.
The activity is focused on electrical and hybrid actuation systems in the wing, but also enabling synergies with other systems, such as the landing gear actuation system to reach optimum solutions for a complete flexible and thin wing using mainly electrical technologies, focusing on a large and regional aircraft configuration.
Landing Gears Systems
This activity deals with the development of novel technologies that can be applied on landing gear systems for future aircraft applications. The main goal is the replacement of conventional energy types (hydraulic, pneumatic) with electrical power, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing weight.
Electrical chain systems
This activity covers the electrical chain, over three main domains: aircraft level electrical architecture and associated integration optimisation, dedicated generation and adaptive electrical conversion, energy management with innovative electrical network and power management centre. The goal is to evaluate the component control laws and integration aspects that need to be developed with the different entities involved in a series of demonstrators. The target to reach is TRL5.
Major loads
The aim is to develop technologies for large and regional aircraft that will enable the integration of major aircraft loads, which have a strong impact on aircraft system architecture definition and power consumption. Examples include Environmental Control Systems and ice protection devices. This work will demonstrate the suitability of these solutions for the future generation of aircraft in the More Electrical Aircraft (MEA) context.
Small Air Transport technologies
This activity addresses the efficient operation of small/commuter aircraft through technological advances in the field of affordable health monitoring systems, more electrical technology, direct costs of aircraft operation and novel cockpit and cabin solutions to support SAT objectives to reduce emissions. directly contributes to better competitiveness.
Power Electronics and Electrical drives
This is a transversal activity aiming to develop technology bricks up to TRL3 in order to provide the technology building blocks to enable the development of More Electric Aircraft in the following domains: power electronics, network architectures, electrical drives, reliability and packaging, electrical machines.
Eco Design
This is a transversal activity that aims to reduce the environmental impact of systems, while maintaining the European aircraft industry’s competitiveness on a global market within the Eco Design domain. The activity is identifying and maturing green materials and processes including, for example, the optimal use of raw materials, light materials and net shape processes, materials recycling, lower energy consumption and removal of hazardous health compounds.
Modelling and Simulation tools
The aim of activity is to develop and demonstrate an integrated and agile modelling, simulation, design and optimisation framework for aircraft systems and subsystems, utilising model-based systems, engineering and virtual testing methods. This framework will holistically support the entire design, development and validation process of an aircraft, starting from conceptual aircraft-level design, toward capture of key requirements, system design, integration, validation and verification.
Demonstrators
Systems ITD is developing 25 demonstrators addressing different specific domains and contributing to Clean Sky 2 programme demonstration areas such as next-generation cockpit systems and aircraft operations, aircraft non-propulsive energy and control systems, optimal cabin and passanger environment and eco-design. The ITD is also contributing to mature technologies for ground and flight demonstrators in other Systems and Platform Demonstrators (SPDs).
The following demonstrators are major contributors to the Clean Sky 2 programme:
Extended Cockpit Demonstrator
This demonstrator aims to develop a portfolio of disruptive technologies including displays and human/system Interfaces, functions, avionics, modular computing platforms for novel integrated cockpit solutions to improve flight operations, crew interface and evaluation, integration in future air transport schemes as well as considering safety and certification aspects. The system demonstrator will validate the solutions simulated in representative aircraft environment including evaluations with end user pilots, up to TRL5.
Smart Integrated Wing Demonstrator
This demonstrator aims to develop novel flight control systems up to TRL5 in line with the more electrical aircraft trends. It also aims to tackle important factors such as high precision under high loads, redundancy, reliability and safety requirements in harsh environments. The benefits of electrification include the possibility to implement new functions, new control concepts, and improved architectures, such as for instance using shared power sources.
Electrical Landing Gear System demonstrator
This demonstrator aims to develop more electric actuation functions up to TRL5 using electro-hydrostatic actuation, local power generation and direct drives to generate savings at aircraft level with lighter, simpler and cheaper solutions. Demonstration includes flight tests for the nose landing gear steering function and ground test for electrical taxiing.
Electrical Test bench Demonstrator
This demonstrator aims to integrate novel large aircraft electrical systems architectures and associated technologies into a ground test bench, where they will be tested at TRL5. In particular, the benefits brought at aircraft level by the High Voltage Direct Currents (HVDC) network will be leveraged across several generation, distribution and power management technologies to support the development of More Electrical concepts for new aircraft generations.
Electrical Environmental Control System Demonstrator
This demonstrator will integrate energy efficient and more reliable solutions for power motorised turbomachines, control optimisation and thermal management into a novel high performance system solution for a future single aisle aircraft.
Affordable Avionics SysTem for Small Aircraft Transport
This demonstrator develops key technology enablers at TRL5 for avionics and the affordable cockpit in the area of small aircraft. The target segment is aircraft with 1 to 19 passengers and small cargo aircraft.
Read more about CS2 Demonstrators here
Latest Progress and Results
In 2020, all activities progressed in line with their objectives and the year’s most significant achievements are summarised as follows:
- The extended cockpit activities reached their final phase of demonstration for the majority of the technologies on a virtual system integration bench at TRL5.
- The flight control systems activity progressed in the large aircraft integrated demonstrator. The contribution to the flight test demonstration in REG IADP continued and first components were delivered to the airframer.
- There were advances in a variety of landing gear technologies. The direct drive system, which allows emission-free taxiing, started its systems testing activities. The electro-hydraulic nose wheel steering concept completed the assembly of its component levels and testing was finalised to allow for demonstration on aircraft in 2021.
- The critical design review for large aircraft environmental control systems was completed and preparations are underway for the subsequent demonstration activities.
- Integrated demonstration activities for innovative electrical networks progressed although some adaption was required due to the impact of the current pandemic on partners, and to better align with airframer roadmaps.
- Cabin systems made progress in the field of sensor solutions and modules for a smart cabin environment with some mock-ups realised and first tests conducted on grey water re-use. Key components of the fire-suppression demonstrator were produced and successfully tested.
- Small air transport partners completed their test flight activities for new thermo-acoustic insulation and progressed on the other different demonstrators.
Read more in the latest CS2 Annual Activity Report (3.28 MB) "pdf" and Highlight Report
CS2 Members in Systems ITD
Leaders Systems ITD
- Airbus Defence and Space SA
- Airbus SAS
- Evektor, spol. s.r.o
- Liebherr Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
- Piaggio Aero Industries Spa
- SAAB AKTIEBOLAG
- Safran SA
- Thales AVS France SAS
Core Partners Systems ITD
- Advanced Laboratory On Embedded Systems, Ales S.R.L.
- Airsense Analytics Gmbh (Airs)
- Airtel Atn Limited
- Altys Technologies Sas
- Arkema France
- Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali Scpa
- Commissariat A L Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
- Diehl Aerospace Gmbh
- Diehl Aviation Gilching Gmbh (Ex Apparatebau Gauting Gmbh)
- Dspace Digital Signal Processing And Control Engineering Gmbh
- Esi Iti Gmbh (Ex-Iti Gesellschaft Fur Ingenieurtechnische Informationsverarbeitung Mbh)
- Fokker Landing Gear Bv
- Fokker Technologies Holding B.V.
- Frequentis AG
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen Nuernberg
- Goodrich Actuation Systems Limited
- Goodrich Control Systems Private Unlimited Company
- Honeywell International Sro
- Manufacture Francaise Des Pneumatiques Michelin
- Nord Micro Ag & Co Ogh
- Pall Europe Limited
- Politechnika Rzeszowska Im Ignacego Lukasiewicza Prz
- Safran Aerotechnics Sas* (Ex Zodiac Aerotechnics Sas)
- Safran Cabin Catering B.V. (Ex Zodiac Aircatering Equipment Europe Bv)*
- Safran Cabin Germany Gmbh (Ex Sell Gmbh)*
- Safran Seats France (Ex Zodiac Seats France)*
- Siec Badawcza Lukasiewicz- Siec Badawcza Lukasiewicz Instytut Lotnictwa (Ex Instytut Lotnictwa)
- Stichting Nationaal Lucht- En Ruimtevaartlaboratorium (Nlr)
- Triagnosys Gmbh*
- Tttech Computertechnik Ag
- United Technologies Research Centre Ireland, Ltd.
- University Of Bradford
- University Of Nottingham
CS2 GAPs in Systems ITD
In total, 95 Grant Agreements for Partners were awarded in the Systems ITD, representing a total EU contribution of €76.10m.
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